1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the high speed movement of newspapers, and more particularly, to a newspaper streamliner which is designed to be compatible with high speed newspaper conveyor systems to insure that newspapers in the conveyor system remain in alignment during in-plant transportation after printing and prior to the stacking operation. The machine is capable of being quickly and easily installed in substantially any existing conveyor system, and is designed to be driven from the drive elements of the system. The device is adjustable, may be automated, and is designed to quickly, easily and efficiently maintain the alignment of a high speed stream of lapped newspapers in the conveyor system between the printing and the stacking operations or other segment of the newspaper conveyor transportation system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, various apparatus have been designed and used in order to maintain the alignment of a variety of materials in various manufacturing operations. Typical of such devices is the apparatus disclosed in the patent to R. E. J. Nordquist, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,488,551. This device is designed to guage and feed metal sheets in order to accurately position the sheets for additional treatment. The metal sheets are initially advanced along a straight line path between side guages until they reach a predetermined point, at which point they are caused to stop and are then in position to be further processed. The F. Ungerer disclosure, U.S. Pat. No. 2,857,158, discloses a "Guiding Means For Moving Sheet-Metal Bands", which apparatus is designed to feed sheet metal bands through a pair of conveyor chains which grip the bands and cause them to move therebetween. A similar apparatus designed specifically for the newspaper production and transportation problem, is the F. F. Pawlikowski patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,426, which mechanism "jogs" the folded papers as they pass a predetermined point to aid in alignment.
Conventional methods of maintaining the alignment of a stream of rapidly moving newspaper such as jogging, are subject to many disadvantages. For example, in the F. F. Pawlikowski patent, the apparatus is designed to oscillate from side to side as a stream of newspapers passes through the device. The mechanism is cam actuated, and a major problem is presented by the machine movement, since the newspapers are alternately bent and then are allowed to straighten suddenly as the cam operates, the sudden straightening frequently causing the newspapers to again bounce out of alignment. This problem is intensified at high newspaper speeds since the oscillating action on a particular segment or band of newspapers crossing the device at any particular point in time has a tendency to disturb the alignment of that particular band with respect to adjacent papers in both the downstream and the upstream supply. Since these papers are overlapped approximately 3 to 4 inches, such disturbances can cause a jam in the conveyor system with accompanying down-time and loss of operation efficiency. Furthermore, contact between the edges of the rapidly moving stream causes a drag on the newspapers, thereby again tending to cause misalignment of the papers.
The basic problem of newspaper misalignment during the course of conveying the papers between the printing and stacking operations as well as in other areas of the transportation system, is responsible for a considerable delay in the newspaper delivery system. This is true since the misalignment frequently causes the conveyors to jam, thereby necessitating stopping the conveyors and clearing the jam before the conveyor can be operated again. This problem is intensified by a necessarily irregular conveyor path, since the conveyor system generally must traverse not only a significant horizontal distance, but also vertical distances, generally between floors of the plant, and therefore, must usually make several horizontal and vertical turns during the course of travel. The advent of high speed printing has led to a need for a cooperating rapid delivery system which is characterized by high efficiency, a characteristic which is closely tied to proper alignment of newspapers in the conveyor system. Consequently, close tolerance in lap and alignment of the newspapers under circumstances of travel at a high rate of speed is essential, and much time and attention has been devoted to the problem of maintaining proper alignment of newspapers as they move in the conveyor system at varying speed.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved newspaper streamliner which is simple and easy to operate and which is compatible with substantially any newspaper conveyor system presently in existence.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved newspaper streamliner and straightening apparatus which is characterized by simplicity of operation and high reliability in maintaining the alignment of a stream of newspapers moving at high, low and intermediate speeds.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for straightening a stream of newspapers which apparatus is designed to momentarily contact the newspapers by means of a pair of moving belts in such a manner as to disturb only the misaligned newspapers, bringing them back into alignment, but which will not disturb the properly aligned newspapers.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved newspaper streamlining and straightening apparatus which is designed to maintain a stream of moving newspapers in proper alignment without bending or causing misalignment of the newspapers in the course of travel, even at high speed.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a newspaper streamliner which utilizes a pair of moving belts to effect alignment of misaligned newspapers, which belts are caused to move at essentially the same linear speed as the newspapers in order to effect efficient alignment of the stream at substantially any speed of travel.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device for continually straightening a stream of rapidly moving, lapped newspapers in a conveyor system for disposing a pair of moving belts on both sides of and contacting the edges of the stream and moving at essentially the same linear speed of the newspapers, which belts are adjustable and may be automatically or manually disposed at right angles to the path of the stream to adjust the position of the newspaper stream in the conveyor system.